Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers thinks his side are ‘building towards’ a monumental victory away from home in the UEFA Champions League.

The Hoops haven’t won on the road in Europe’s premier club competition since 2017, when goals from Leigh Griffiths, Patrick Roberts, and Scott Sinclair sealed a 3-0 triumph against Anderlecht.

This evening, they turn their attention to a struggling Dinamo Zagreb side, winless in their last five games.

The Croatian champions have a wealth of injuries going into this tie, which the media in their homeland is billing as their ‘game of the season’.

While Zagreb’s ongoing crisis could help the Bhoys win, boss Rodgers thinks his side have been building towards a victory away from home in the Champions League since last season: “From last year, we’ve been building towards performance level and results,” he said (Celtic FC on YouTube).

“And this year we’ve been fairly consistent with that in the main and to win away from home, because you know what it means to supporters as well as the points and you know that an away win at any level, but in particular in the Champions League, is a difficult challenge, but it’s one that gives a real good feeling.

“So, for us, it’s the next step.

“We know that when we do that (defend and attack well) it gives us an opportunity to get that win.”

Celtic enter tonight’s game knowing a win would all but seal their place in the Champions League knockout stages.

Rodgers and Co.’s initial target was to make it out of the league phase, and they have an almighty opportunity to achieve their goal tonight.

Zagreb are struggling, and although they haven’t won at home since September, they have seven Champions League points on the board so far, one less than Celtic. As the saying goes, ‘they are no mugs’, and the Hoops should tread carefully at the Stadion Maksimir.

Kick-off this evening is at 5.45pm, with the action live on TNT Sports 2.